Monday, December 30, 2013

We found this sim to be very captivating, for three main reasons. The
first thing that got our attention was the incredibly detailed
architecture. We made many return trips here, with the excuse that there
was one more building to be seen, or more of the interior of one we
had. Even as we write this article, there is need to pause and return
for added detail and inspiration.

When Sha began SL, she would dance at Escort Oasis, most nights. There
were up to 50 people in the club. She could listen to the music stream,
had voice and could watch media, all without any lag. Why is it, with
four more years of developing technology, are we now reduced to rubbing
two sticks together, to get a fire?

The other reason for needing so many visits is another of the items that
made this place so captivating. In four years of exploring Second life,
this sim broke the record, for having the lowest frames per second of
any sim we have been to. The rate varied, but on one visit our meter
read .08FPS. Needless to say, I had to log off and try again later. On
our last visit, the viewer went crazy and we could only escape by
pulling the plug on the computer and doing a complete restart.

The third thing that made this exploration interesting has to do with
history. This sim represents the late 16th century, London, England. The
shops and homes are all two story, Tudor style buildings. Towering over
them, like twin mountains, are the cathedral and castle. It is clear
that, in this time period, a very few ruled over the population and
controled their lives and resources. Over and over, we found ourselves
thinking, this would not have been a time or place that we would want to
live in. This inspired an internet search on the life and times of
Queen Elizabeth, which proved to be as entertaining as the visits to the
sim.

Contrary to popular belief, the idea of hell and what it is like was
developed by early Christians and reached it's peak in the dark ages of
Europe. Introducing these ideas created fears, which helped win converts
and give leaders more authority over the ignorant masses. These ideas
did not come from scripture. They reached their peak through poets, like
Dante, with his book, "The Inferno". With fear pushed to the limit,
mankind revolted and protestantism and the Renaissance were the result.
When Elizabeth was queen, in the mid-renaissance, Europe was still a
fearful place. Countries feared each other and Protestants and Cathilics
treatment of contrary beliefs was anything but Christian. That a
single woman could not only survive, but also rule her country and guide
it on a relatively middle path is as miraculous as modern history gets.

A guru once told us that individuals that cause us the most grief are
the source of our greatest growth. Will this laggy sim be as inspiring
to you as it was to us? There's only one way to find out. Visit Tudor
Rose, land of Elizabeth I.

Friday, December 27, 2013

While he was still dressed for the part, we sent Josh to yet another
Steampunk location. Starting 2000 meters up, in the middle of a tangled
nexus, where map and compass are useless, you might think our explorer
would require some time to get his bearings. Not so. Like some kind of
Dr. Who, he made a bee line for the most unusual feature on the sim,
breedable penguins. Really? Have we now seen everything?

Perhaps not.
Turning about, shaking his head, with a big grin, Josh spots a shop with
clothing and vehicles and heads for it. True to the period, the vendor
display pictures are all in sepia tones. It will be a hard sell, for one
accustomed to HD colored ads, but Josh needs a wardrobe and loves
unusual vehicles, so scrolls through the entire catalog. The clothing
didn't measure up to Blak Opal's, but they had some great vehicles, two
of which were only $1 each, so guess who added to his garage.

At the next area, a female robot, carrying a tray of drinks, offered
refreshments and conversation. He had read that there were robots here,
so this seemed quite natural. Shortly thereafter, he found a shop that
sells that model and a host of others, either avatar or autonomous
styles, including classics like R2D2, Buck Roger's "Twiki"
(bidibidibidi) and the one from Space Family Robinson (danger Will
Robinson...).

There were also some nice park areas and a multi-level
freebie shop. All of this, so far, was in the sky, on interconnected
floating platforms. Having seen a sign announcing land for rent, Josh
jumped off to go have a look at ground level.

Back on terra firma, we find the land office, some homes and more
breedable penquin areas. Having seen everything, Josh returns home to
Sunweaver Bay to open and test drive his new rides. Since Josh and Sha
do most of their exploring late at night, they seldom meet residents, so
can't say much about the social scene. We can say; there was no lag and
there were lots of new, unique, interesting things to see. It is an
enjoyable, entertaining adventure. We give it thumbs up and recommend it
to our readers.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

For a brief time in Second Life, one can find a replica of the site of one of the decisive battles of the American Civil War: Gettysburg.

A look at the Destination Guide's "Featured Events" page showed plenty of Christmas and Winter events and locations, but there was one entry that stood out: Virtual Gettysburg 1863.

Virtual Gettysburg 1863 is an American Civil War museum featuring a
reproduction of the Gettysburg battlefield. Learn about the events of
July 1st-3rd, 1863, often seen as the turning point of the war.

The SURL given took me too a small map of the battlefield, which had a group joiner/notecard giver and a teleporter. There was also a balloon rezzer. Clicking on the latter would make it appear, and getting on it one would get a tour, seeing locations like the peach orchid, the wheatfield, "Devils Den," and others. It wasn't completely to scale. The area was only about a third of the size of the real battlefield. There were a few roads one could walk down. There were only a few items to show the area had been a battlefield, besides the markers, a couple cannon, a dead horse, and the teleport markers, which looked like memorial stones.

Welcome to Virtual Gettysburg 1863! This is a historical museum devoted to the American Civil War, featuring a reproduction of part of the Gettysburg battlefield. This is not primarily a role-playing or reenactment group, though feel free to ask if you have RP ideas. This is both a temporary exhibition and a work in progress. (Everything in SL is a work in progress)

Going about on foot, as this was a platform high above the sim surface, one would appear to float a foot or more over the surface at times, or sink into the ground. Staying on the road would usually help, usually.

The battlefield's most notable location was a farmhouse which acted as the hospital. Near the front door on the outside was a bloodstained medical kit. Inside, exhibits on the first floor described the limited medical technology that was available to help the twenty thousand wounded in "the immediate aftermath of battle ... one of nightmarish, overwhelming, and often unrelieved agony. ... the houses, the barns, the sheds, and the open barnyards were crowded with moaning and wailing human beings. And still, an unceasing procession of stretchers and ambulances (horse drawn wagons) was coming in from all sides to augment the number of the sufferers." The exhibit continued upstairs, with a chart of common ailments suffered by soldiers during the battle, and more scenes described, as well as some pictures and Walt Whitman's poem "The Wound Dresser."

Besides the battlefield, there was an art gallery and a museum area. Teleporting to the museum, there was another map of the field, with a number of exhibits, such as maps and photos around in a circle, describing the strategic situation at the time of the battle, the course of the battle, and the aftermath. Gettysburg is often described as the "high water mark" of the
Confederacy as never again would it be able to launch an invasion into
the North. But the war would drag on for two more agonizing years.

The exhibit is not scheduled to stay up for long. It is scheduled to be up only for a few more days, with Dec 31st as the last day. Near the entrance, there was a donation board accepting funds."We are still seeking a permanent home for the build," the notecard stated. The exhibit was built by Trodden Miles and Dakota Tebaldi.

From the museum area, there was also a teleport to a room, where one could see an animated
film of the Gettysburg Address, given a few months after the battle in honor of those who fell.

"That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

*Update* A look at the group had the following post: "Thanks to all of your generous donations, we've been able to cut a deal to save the build! We've rented the airspace above an RP sim and we'll be reopening there early next month. Location TBA very soon!"

*Second Update* Virtial Gettysburg now has a new home at Redemptions (98, 23, 3965)

Monday, December 23, 2013

On to another favorite venue for more winter fun than you have time for.
Aero Pines has the winter festival taking place all month. These sims are
always seasonally decorated and hosting superb events for that
season. I recommend you begin your visit at the Holiday store where you find
some superb outfits for skating both male and female, and lots of free ones too.
Right outside is the massive skating pond, always in use. The media viewer is
showing the holiday favorite, The Nutcracker on a huge screen overlooking the
skating pond. You have your choice of skate balls for solo and couples. Or you can
join the ballet dancing in front of the screen.

Nearby there is a sleigh rezzer
that will take you on a tour of the sims. Keep an eye out for some loose
reindeer that seem to have once been attached to a sleigh but are now roaming
the roads. If you have a horse take a ride. If not you can rezz one at the
stables. Try the winter balloon ride or then many other special activities
listed on the notecard in the posters. Save lots of time! http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Equus/40/194/22

Next favorite ... seems I have lots of favorites! But there are some
wonderful winter sims. This is another place I visit all year long. Christmas
at Winter Holiday Village. I was lucky that this year I made it to a skating
party on the ice where Mr. and Mrs. Claus were not only present but dancing to
the music of the live DJ. This skating place is such a pleasure to use. It
winds around, around penguin laden islands, under bridges, past polar bears, through a cave tunnel and back to the beginning.

There is a
carriage ride here also. You will be driven in a golden carriage through the
woods and around trails . The festive shops are fun to roam through with
wonderful bargains for your holiday decor and clothing too. Many visitors are
always around enjoying everything that Maired Fitzgerald plans. There are a
myriad of events every day until the end of December with singers and
special events. I was able to attend the Annual Yule Ball also with
the fantastic Ceci Dover performing Christmas tunes with a backup of dancers .
Be sure not to miss this fabulous sim. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Holiday%20Village/100/138/21

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

This location seems to be a real paradox. On the one hand, it is one of
the newest sims around, and yet it looks like a civilization, left in
ruin by waves of rising sea levels. The Destination Guide gives only a
brief description.

"From the fallen lighthouse to the marooned submarine and flooded
railway, this house of steampunk style survives amidst a drowned region
that is well worth exploring."

At first sight, our eyes tell us that almost all of the three connected
sims are covered in water, leaving little else to be seen. Soon, our
sixth sense begins to draw us in deeper. Perhaps the water is telling us
that there is a great mystery to be found and solved, hidden from our
eyes, just beneath the surface. We will need to focus our eyes and look
for subtle clues.

A picture is worth a thousand words. This article has been richly
illustrated, to assist your preparations in your quest for the truth.

When given a map view, in Destination Guide, we see only the three sims
of LPP, Studio4D and Club Zain. When we spot this local map, titled
"Water Lost World Project", we have to ask where the lost sim is.
Calling the phantom real estate "Endless" doesn't fit either. Endless
implies always was, always will be. What premature pralaya has removed
all but the idea of this, so called, Endless sim?

When we arrived, on a dock in LPP, there was a submarine moored before
us. Before it could be examined, it sank beneath the water. Our original
plan included using a boat or sub, to explore the area, but further
research revealed this U-boat occupies the only channel, deep enough for
a ship, and it is blocked at both ends and too narrow to turn around
in. It is truly marooned, but still has some life left to it.

Near by, we find the remains of a fallen light house. It's beacon still
shines and rotates, telling us to look around, to learn more of the
story. The scene hints at how the land became covered by water. Only a
fool would blame this on global warming. Melting ice caps would take
years to cover the island with water and allow residents time to build
higher. A tsunami could destroy buildings, but the ground water would
all drain off in a day. If real life geology can be applied to SL, we
must conclude that this sim has been the victim of an earthquake, which
has lowered the land (subducted), perhaps by 10 meters, leaving only the
hill tops.

If you keep to the paths, between the sparse attractions on these sims,
you'll keep your powder dry. Stray a bit and you'll wish you had worn
hip boots or a wet suit. There are almost no shopping places here. The
main shop has clothing for women and a black ops suit or two for men,
but the prices are high, so even Sha would avoid going there. This shop,
for Cyber Dolls, has some unique and well textured outfits. It's worth a
look, even if you don't buy.

We head North from LPP, along the flooded railway, to Studio4D. The sim
is almost entirely covered with a shop that sells dance animations. We
tried a few, but at more than twice the price of most, quickly headed
for the last sim in the group. The largest structure on the Club Zain
sim is called the Main Floor and seems to be built, on stilts, to
accomodate for the water. Inside, it's like a mix of dance club and TV
studio. It reminds one of the sort of place where shows like "Soul
Train" or "American Band Stand" would be recorded.

Just North of the Main Floor building, there is another postdiluvian
structure, called the Stadium. It has a large dance floor, made of clear
glass, flanked by enough bleacher seating to accomodate all the people
that have visited this site, since it's beginning. Music is provided by a
state of the art DJ booth, with a crate of vinyl albums and more CD
titles than Walmarts stocks. In the center of the dance floor, there is a
group of blue and green prims, which, at first seem to be a senseless
clutter. As we pan our camera around, we begin to see that there is some
planning involved in their placement.

A Puzzle

Moving the camera up, for a birds-eye view, we can see these prims have
been arranged to form a symbol which is communicating some kind of
message. The prims are placed on three levels, which we can study, in an
attempt to decipher the symbol. At ground level, 15 blue triangles, all
pointing the same direction, are arranged into a large triangle, broken
up by progressively smaller ones, all pointed in the same direction. We
don't know, yet, which of three directions our attention is being
pointed in. About one meter above the floor, three green triangles sit
above the blue ones on the floor. This way of "highlighting" tells us to
look in the direction of the DJ booth. Higher still, we find 12 green
bullets, arranged in a circle, all pointed to it's center. Had they been
spaced equally around the circle, they might suggest a clock face or
time. These bullets have left a gap from 10:30 to 12:00, which could
mean either the time has not arrived or has been cut short. We are being
given a message about this DJ, or perhaps DJs in general. Either their
time has yet to come or it has been cut short. We will need more clues,
to get the whole story.

The thing is, everywhere you go, there are odd things, found strewn
about, that could be another clue. In writing this article, we returned
many times to see things that we had passed before, thinking them odd
but unimportant, but now that the puzzle was being pieced together, they
began to fit and fill in more detail. The return visits also turned up
new things that hadn't been seen before. In SL, when you click on a
door, it opens. We found two doors, one on the ground and the other on
the base of the abandoned bridge. They should not have opened to
anything, but when clicked gave the message that we were not allowed to
enter. Knowing that there were no others on the sims, we used the cam to
pan around to the backside of the doors and find a chair or pose ball
to sit on and poof, we were inside forbidden areas and finding more
clues. At the base of the bridge, this technique got us into the "Stray
Sheep Diner". This is one of the most developed spots yet. It is very
detailed and full of possible clues. It is difficult to understand why
the doors are locked. We can only hope that entering doesn't get us
banned.

We could tell you much more about this adventure, but our goal is to
tempt readers into having adventures of their own. Test your Sherlock
Holmes skills and solve the mystery of TPP neo.

Friday, December 13, 2013

I have to be honest. With all the wonderful regions I visit for the winter
activities and the Christmas decor one of my very favorites is the CALAS
GALADHON PARK SIMS. This is not a sim, it is a group of 11 spectacular
sims that is always a pleasure to visit. But, the winter season is exceptional
in its offerings.

When you land you will find a teleport board to any of
the sims you want to visit, and another board containing the rules of the
sim with all its landmarks in the notecard. It will be easy to begin your winter
adventures at the nearby skating area. I have not found many other skating
experiences that are better than here since you are able to take a tour of three
winter sims skating along the frozen waterways. Try it solo or with a companion.
There are skate balls for you, or just take off under your own steam. The
scenery is delightful, and so realistic.

After that tour follow the sign for
cross country to pick up a set of skiis and poles and take off on a four
sim cross country ski tour, solo or couple and get an eye full of wintry
countryside, ice covered trees , bright berry bushes, cabins bright with fires
glowing and so much more. The skis also work on their own so you can continue on
your own. All around the sims are places to sit and chat. This is a
great place to take a horse back ride too, wonderful place to explore or
just sit around.

The owners, Ty Tenk (tymus.tenk) and Truck
(truck.meredith) maintain a peaceful environment all year round but especially
in this season of the Christmas Holidays. It is free of merchandise or
dwellers so distractions are few. Here is the entrance to the parks where you can
get all the information you need. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Calas%20Galadhon/137/233/22

But, the best place in the parks, (though it is outside the parks this year)
to celebrate the season is at the Christmas Pavilion. When you arrive enter the
carriage that awaits that will take you on a ride all around this special
sim. Arrive at the Pavilion itself. It is a massive castle filled with goodies
for you. Toy soldiers guard the doors of the Christmas tree room overflowing
with gift boxes. Look around in here for your gifts from Ty and Tenk. On
the other side is the room where you can enjoy coffee, cakes, tea and sweets.
In the middle is a massive hall where you can dance and listen to the music of
the season. Events planned for the Pavilion are on the calendar at the entrance
of the parks.

Ty sent a message saying ”We hope you are enjoying winter at
Calas and the 'One Christmas Night' build (smile). We have several pose sets out for
your Xmas cards. At the Christmas sim .. the couples skating poses
on the skating area, Single pose w/menu on the mother deer with the two fawns
outside S/E corner of Paviion. A single pose on the mother bear with
cubs."

Here is the entrance to One Christmas Night for you. Check
scripts and climb into the carriage for a magical experience. This year the
returning tradition of the One Christmas Night is separate from the other sims ,
so hang onto the landmark. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SilverMyst/182/253/23
.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

This area of the Pangea sim is a theme park, with six attractions,
dealing with, so called, areas of scientific interest. The attractions
and approximate times are, Orbitron - 2 min., Space Mountain - 2 min., Journey to the Center of the Earth - 2 min., Time Keeper - 20-25 min., Voyage of the Nautilus - 10 min. and the Hyperion Cafe - 20-30 min.

It is uncertain how we found this location. Going to the Destination
Guide, for more information, turned up nothing, even when using the
SLURL, used to TP there.

Orbitron

This area of the Pangea sim is a theme park, with six attractions,
dealing with, so called, areas of scientific interest. The attractions
and approximate times are,

This attraction, in the center of the theme park, is a merry-go-round,
with multi-seat rockets, instead of horses. Sitting in it, a menu pops
up, allowing ascending and descending options.

Space Mountain

Proceed to the boarding platform, click the blue box to rez a rail
car and sit in it. It switches you to mouse-view and moves the car to
firing position. Turns out, your car is the bullet, in a cannon, pointed
at the moon.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Here, we board a rail car that seats six passengers. It automatically
puts you in mouse-view, to give a real life feel to the ride. For the
next 2 minutes, the car makes it's way through the twists and turns of a
long tunnel, but we did not see any other features, as one would expect
to find. It was a bit of a disappointment, but on the bright side, at
least it was free.

Time Keeper

This attraction begins with entering a waiting room, with paintings on
the walls and signs, informing you to turn media on and push start. This
made us apprehensive, given that our limited computer usually warns of
media plugin failure at this point. We were pleasantly surprised when a
video began to play on the screen. We are introduced to our guide, Nine
Eyes, a time traveling robot, with panoramic head cameras, who seemed
nervous about the reliability of the time machine. The shows play every
half hour and you have to wait for the doors to open. Inside the
theater, there are rows of rails, instead of seats. We are surrounded by
video screens, providing Nine Eye's panoramic view. The video was well
produced and entertaining. You can tell, it was made professionally. At
the end of the show, the doors opened and we headed for the next
attraction.

Voyage of the Nautilus

For this one, you go down the stairs into a Nautilus submarine
simulation. Beyond Captain Nemo's pipe organ, stools line the walls,
each with it's own large port hole, to view the show outside.

Hyperion Cafe

There are no signs in front of this attraction, announcing what it is.
You won't see a ticket booth or even an entry door. above what looks
like an alley, the front end of a steampunk zeppelin protrudes. Passing
under, we are in what appears to be the lobby of a movie theater. To the
left, there's a snack bar, big enough to serve a crowd, with coffee and
snacks for sale. The signs say, we are in `Cafe Hyperion'. There are
old movie posters on the walls and signs, reminding you to turn on and
start media. Facing the main screen, there are rows of traditional seats
and, in the balcony, there are cafe tables and chairs. The video was
spectacular and confirmed the suspicion that this sim has a Disney
connection. A Las Vegas style fountain serves as a projection screen for
Christmas light show and songs, by characters from the new Disney
movie, `Frozen'.

Returning home, with a Cheshire cat smile and both thumbs up, we report,
Discovery is a `must see' and be sure to bring the mate and cubbies to
this wonderful Christmas spectacular.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Many of the winter sims are not ready to change season yet. Yes, it is
early but I know people are already looking for the winter activities in Second Life.
Some regions are going to celebrate Thanksgiving before changing over,
although I saw some snow lingering along the roadways in places that I
know will have lots of snow and ice soon. Here are a few that are ready!

“We believe everyone should be free to be themselves, to be the unique
person they are . so everyone is welcome here at Skate and Date..... “
This is from the welcome sign in Freyr at Winter Wonderland and train ride.
Cute little penguins are circling the ice rink and offer you free skates in
case you don’t have them already. Hop on the couples skating balls nearby and
take a tour on the ice. Grab a seat and cuddle with your date or drop down
near the fire to warm up. I spied a sled rezzer and took a quick ride around
through the trees passing more penguins along the way. There is a train tour
too. If you have your own train you can put it on the tracks as it is a slrr
rail but you can rezz one there if not. Have fun! http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Freyr/154/65/50 .

“Welcome to our Winter Enchantment, made in loving tribute to our late
friend Soraya Wardhani.....” Though a more somber greeting than at skate and
Date I found it a lovely memorial thought as I surveyed this lovely skating
venue. More penguins circled the skating pond . Free skates for both men and
women and singles and another sled rezzer await your pleasure. A fat
jolly snowman offered me a cup of hot chocolate . On the other side of
the pond I found a ski lift and took a ride up to the top of the mountain
where I took some free skis and boots and hopped on the ride down the
mountain. It was a winding trail down the hillside that gave me a good look at
it all, another place not to miss. Some of the decor is for sale . http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Xeriacle/46/73/21.

Winter scenes by Incendia Outdoors in Dizza offer wonderful skating ,
soft snowflakes falling and a peaceful lodge with fireplaces where you can
lounge around alone or with friends and grab up for a run down. I found an
igloo with snowball fighting walls set up with kids having fun and lots of
snowballs so you can join in. The scenery is lovely with nature the object of
the region. I found sheep hunting for morsels of grass , in another area moose
looking warily at a horseback rider as she passed, and a found a bear
fishing in the open creek. Another lovely place to put on your list of winter
venues.There is a carriage to ride in and a horse rezzer for you. At the
entrance is a guest book where you can leave a comment or read those of former
visitors. Dress for snow. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dizza/223/63/21

Monday, December 9, 2013

Lake Tahoe is ready for your skating pleasure . I stopped in the charming
lodge and enjoyed the warmth of the fire then wandered out to check out the
skating ball that lets you perform like a pro! The pond is not that large but
enjoyable. Of course there are free skates in the little shop near by, and snow
boards for sale . For serious skiers there are some nice outfits for sale
here too. I could not resist the color changing scarf. The tram ride up the ski
slope passes over a bear so be careful . I found people frolicking in the
snow when I hopped off the tram. You have your choices of a sled or a tube that
take you on an automatic trip down the hill. Grey Lupindo has visited this
region and wrote about it . Wonderful region! There are places in the sim where
it has not snowed yet so you can wander around or just hang out and enjoy the
scenery. I discovered there are more than one skating areas close by in the
Grand Canyon area. Here is the entrance to Lake
Tahoe.http://slnewserplaces.blogspot.com/2012/08/grand-canyon-national-park.htmlhttp://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Grand%20Canyon%20North/33/207/22

My friend Ev Lovevicker (everest.piek) gave me a call to tell me the
North Pole is open! What a treat. ѕуℓνιє ѕιđєωαуѕ (sylvie.sideways) and her
helpers have created a wonderful sleigh ride through the frosty woods of the
region, passing by dancing skating bears, candy treats and cupcakes . Throw on
the blanket you will be offered to keep warm . The Polar Express train is ready
to leave with the conductor holding open the door for traveling children.The
village center is sweet and a lovely place to visit. The sleigh will drop you
there. There is Santa’s cheerful lodge set for your visit. Outside the
Chapel the representation of Bethlehem reminds us of the Christmas season
.Don’t miss Santa’s workshop where the elves are working feverishly and
Santa waits to hear your wishes. Next to the church there is a lovely
little ice pond for your skating pleasure. There will be events and Sunday
Concerts and you are invited to join the group for notices. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Streeter/114/114/41

Rainbow Illusion is hosting Toys for Tots at their Winter Wonderland. Toys
for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which
distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for
Christmas. There will be a benefit on December 10, 2:00-10:00 pm. There
is a lovely pavilion set up for skating or dancing on the ice .You will find
free skates and skis on the ice . Santa is sitting in his sleigh waiting for you
. And here is a twist. Next to the skating pond I spotted a wonderful swimming
pool under glass. So, bring your bikini and swim trunks along! http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rainbow%20Illuzion/99/62/20

Living Tree has a wonderful skating area set up on the river that runs
through the sim from north to south. There are jumping areas and cones set
up to wend your way. I found a great tobaggon rezzer so you can slide over the
winter terrain. Kids will be able to make their way easily. Better jump the
bridges if you are tall. This sim is designed for kids! There is a school there
and you can visit the Texture Library and the pick up texture tutorials. But,
right now it is winter in Living Tree. So have fun. Warm you hands at the
barrels when you are cold. Pick up a notecard or two when you land then head for
the river . http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Livingtree/121/124/25

You know I am a 7seas fisher so was happy to see there are several skating
areas where you can fish and skate! Grey Nacht has a wonderful fishing hole ,
that you are warned not to fall into at Pala , http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pala/160/90/21
. When you land you must tp to the ice fishing . It may be empty of
fishers or full depending on the time. Tribute City has also put up
a delightful fishing and skating pond . Another great place to visit!

Friday, December 6, 2013

In recent months, the Newser has had some great articles on Steampunk
communities, like Caledon and Steelhead. Reviewing the Destination
Guide, Josh discovered a collection of other Steampunk communities,
ranging in size from two to thirteen sims. Names and addresses were
gathered into a notecard and he began exploring each of them.

After touring the first four, beleaguered by lag and yearning to yawn,
it began to look like his report would be titled "adventures in
adversity." While it was true, he had noted a point or two of interest
at each location, there are only so many ways to say, it was
beautifully, ornately textured, but beyond my meager budget to buy. Such
a list would not be something he, or Sha, would be willing to sign
their name to.

Thank gods and faes, our next stop proved to be an adventure, worthy of
a story of it's own. Landing in Neo Victoria, we find ourselves in the
visitors center, where me must prepare for what lies below.

By it's own definition, Neo Victoria is, "Dark roleplay, Steampunk style
- A small community of gifted artists, working together to bring their
stories out of Second Life, into the world of the real."
Avatars of all types and species are permitted, as long as they are not
"cartooney." An anthro coyote is OK, Wile E. Coyote is not.

Orientation and
shopping is in the sky. The two, ground level sims serve as home for
members and a film lot for Machinima videos. If you are not a member, or
out of character, you can visit ground level, but must get and wear the
OOC (out of character) tag. To engage in roleplay, one must conform to
the local story line. No cross story lines are allowed. As a means of
learning the lifestyle, notecards are given as you walk down the dark
halls that lead to the TP to ground level. Alternatively, there is a web
site, giving more details and samples of their videos at www.NeoVictoria.net . They also have a web site for members only, which has community news and personal pages for each member.

Other factors that made Neo Victoria a great place to explore were, no
doubt, the bi-product of using the sims for making videos. There are
fewer mesh scenery objects, making it almost lag free. They also allow
you to rez things there, with auto-return after 15 minutes. Using this, I
rezzed my airship, for a birds eye view and saw the entire place, in
far greater detail than was possible at other places visited.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Sunweaver Bay's newest resident, Joshua Xavier, stands atop Sha Hill,
surveying the many changes that have been added, since Becky Shamen
first moved there, as one of it's first and longest residents. Like the
Bay, Josh has evolved. His creation started as an experiment of Sha's,
to prove that SL males could do as well as it's females, finding Love
and Lindens Dollars. Like Sha, he is, alternately, human and furry.
Having recently become his own man, with a seperate SL account, he will
continue to share Sha's home and duties, as an explorer and writer for
the Newser. While touring the Steampunk collective of Mieville, he found
a shop called "Who's Who," on the Wells sim, and bought the
multicolored scarf, worn by the fourth Doctor, Tom Baker. The making of
this photo, to show off his new lion avi and outfit, served as the
inspiration for writing about the evolution of Sunweaver Bay.

At one time, Sha had a castle on Sunweaver Air sim, connected to the
West side of Sunweaver Space, within sight of Club Cutlass. After
retiring from exotic dance and hearing rumors of the sim going away, she
moved to low rent areas elsewhere, to cut down on expenses. With the
creation of Sunweaver Bay, she returned to rent a lot and had her choice
of locations. At that time, there was very little there, so she chose
the hilltop at the west end of the bay, for it's panaroramic view. Then,
as now, there were few neighbors, but the view has evolved
considerably, to attract more renters.

Looking East from Sha's Place, we get a good sample of the scenic
additions that have become a part of the sim, in the short time we have
been a resident. On the right we see, at 11 floors and 88 meters tall,
The Sunweaver Bay Apartments. Speaking of taking up lots of air space,
check out H.M.A.S. Little Dove, which nearly cuts the sim in half, at
the same altitude as the top of the apartments. Adding to the skyline,
we see a Tesla tower and a lighthouse. At ground level, there are a
variety of trees, bushes and flowers, and waterfalls in every direction.
The bay now serves as a harbor for seagoing vessels, suggesting that
this sim is the starting point for adventure. Now under construction, a
monorail system will soon connect all the sims in Sunweaver Estates.

All of the improvements have indeed made Sunweaver Bay a very desireable
place to live, but, for Sha and Josh, there was an unexpected draw
back. Having a computer and router, which we are told is the minimum of
what is needed for Second Life, made the sim too laggy for us. To
resolve the conflict, without moving from her beloved home, Sha built a
platform, 1000 meters above her lot and moved her house and furniture
up, to enjoy lag-free living.

Alas, at that altitude, she no longer had
the beautiful scenic view from her windows. To compensate for the loss,
she surrounded the platform with walls, with mountain scenery texture.
That improved the view, but, explorer that she is, it gave her
claustrophobia. Meanwhile, Josh was shopping on Marketplace for a free
airship to explore with and found a zeppelin skybox, that would fit
Sha's lot, for a mere L$5. The new abode provided an unexpected plus.
The external view was replaced with an interior, that even Captain Nemo
would approve of. Upon seeing it, the fire chief pronounced it the
coolest home he had ever seen in SL. What's more, the new arrangement
used less of Sha's prim allowance. With the previous house, there were
only 10 prims left. Now she has 30 in reserve.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Every autumn I go exploring and search out regions that have winter
displays, winter sports, winter freebies and scenery that you will enjoy. I
have started already to find ice skating, skiing, even some shopping , and
other fun activities in various regions. I have my old favorites that I
will be writing about soon. A friend sent me a landmark to visit because of its
beauty and I did since it was new to me. It is the Region Palma.

At the
entrance I found Santa and his reindeer handing out free Uggs, very nice boots
for the winter. Three booths with delectable foods and beverages kept me there
for a few minutes. There is a tram tour ready to take you above where you
can look down at the view. I took the tour first to get an over view of the sim.
The ride took me high above the snow laden branches of the trees where I could
see lodges, cabins , ponds. The second time I took the ride we hopped off on
top of the ski mountain where you will find free skies and a sled rezzer.

Off
we went on a sled that took us down the steep slope to the skating area.
After a few twirls on the ice I started off on the snow packed roads to
see the sights. Looking around I saw a delightfully pristine
landscape dotted with charming buildings , animals, and visiting avatars.
As you travel the roadways you buildings that offer a relaxing place to
park. There are comfortable seats by the fire in the Lodge and outdoor
lounging areas. A pleasant bar offers a refuge for chatting.

I visited Santa’s
stables and found elves caring for the reindeer. The skating pond is large enough
for some trick skating and offers free ice skates for your use. Across the pond
I found a theater where you can sit and watch movies and we stopped to laugh at
a giant snail race video and one of Torley’s tutorials. Up on a hilltop I found a building that is the Headquarters of the
Rebel Yell Concerts. This is a Tribute Concert business, the first one in Second Life, I
learned. It is owned by Lestat Zalivstok , Oskar Zalivstok,
(oskar.nirvana) , and Guiltyangel Rhapsody.

Lestat told me "this is Winter Ice Rock Festival
2013,“ and that the region will be in winter decor until January 8.
There are posters around the sim announcing the next event and the
time so you can put it on your calendar. After January 8 they will put
some other decor. He is a real life band owner and continues the tradition
in SL. Enjoy this elegant winter setting and dress warmly! http://maps.secondlifecom/secondlife/Palma/220/223/32.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Finlandia invites Second Life residents to “hangout, relax and enjoy”
and see what Finland is like.Located at
Finlandia, Finlandia (191, 48, 23), it is a beautiful place to visit. To the
best of my knowledge, this is the first SL site that is based on Finland. Finlandia’s creator, Daniela Finchy, has made
a wonderful sim that showcases her lovely country.One of
her notes states, “So everything you see, feel and touch is all about Finland.We are proud ... and happy to show it to you.”

Finlandia is representative of the southern and southwestern
areas as they appear in late summer and fall, a season which is known as “ruska.”The terrain is comprised of rolling hills,
forests, and beautiful rocky coastline.

The rez zone is a small wooden structure that is functional
but not representative of the rest of the site. It is filled with information and necessary
notes, as well as a few odd objects.A
large cut out of Marilyn Monroe is there, but I’m not sure what her connection
is to Finland.

Outside of the rez area, however, the land is peaceful and
beautiful.Wide paths cut through the
woods and lead to various sites around the Finlandia. Bridges straddle winding streams.There is a bicycle stand, too, since they
are very popular in Finland.However, the
paths are also great for horseback riding, which is one of my favorite things
to do.I saddled my horse and rode all
over the site.

The area has lots of activities for residents to enjoy.There are many spots where friends can
gather, including a campfire site with a moonshine still brewing.A large picnic and dance area is found at
Finlandia (139,16,24).

There are lots of free games to play, including Whack a
Mole, Mah Jongg, Minesweeper, and others, located in a large cottage at Finlandia
(45,71,25).Try out the rope swings that
are outside, too.

The rocky coastline is ruggedly beautiful.There are row boats available that you can
use to explore it.I rowed up to the
sauna and stopped, although I think I could have continued further. It is located at Finlandia (84,95,23).The
sauna is a wonderful steamy place that you don’t find very often in Second Life.Approach this area with care since it is the
only area where nudity is allowed in Finlandia.There were other people visiting the sim
during all of my visits, but no one was using the sauna.

At the top of another hill there is a very cozy country
cottage and a large barn, at Finlandia (164,72,33).Inside the cottage you can try out a loom or sit
in a rocking chair by the fireplace.There
are three rooms, allfurnished.A cat named Tuikku sits on the front porch,
and other farm animals roam about in the yard.

There is a cottage for rent in Finlandia, but I don’t know
if this cottage is it.One of the
nicest features in Finlandia is the lack of commercialism.There are no glaring signs or items for sale
to spoil the natural beauty.Except for
a few tip jars and teleporters to transport shoppers to the store area, the
site is a peaceful park.

The shop area is located above the rest of the sim in a sky
box, and it is worth seeing.Finlandia
Stores, Finlandia (119, 61, 2022).Although
it isn’t as beautiful as the rest of Finlandia, the shops are set along wide
paths in a landscaped area.There are
fourteen shops from Finnish creators, including Mad Pea, SiO, Ihan Sama,
Jinxies, S.L.A.D, CakeFox, Linealrise Design, and others. There is also a club where you can hear
Finnish rock/metal music.

In addition to the
shops, Uleria Caramel, a Finnish artist, has paintings on display there. Caramel creates art that is abstract
expressionism in style.She uses oil
painting, glass, ceramics, aquarelles, photography, and other techniques in her
art.Her works are very colorful and
unique.

Newsweek magazine
ranked real-life Finland as the overall "best country in the world" in
2010.According to Wikipedia, many sources rank it as one of the best countries for
quality of life. In creating Finlandia Daniela Finchy has done a great job creating a
sim that shares her beautiful country with the rest of Second Life.

Monday, November 4, 2013

By Gemma CleanslateI really needed some quiet and solitude after the Burn2 was over.It has
been several weeks of busy busy busy. So I went looking for a place to
relax and found it! There is a delightful sim, Serena Long Cay, made just for
relaxing and looking at the sea.

The place seems to be the philosophy of the owner, Franx Markstein. He looks at Second Life in a different way. He has tried the
parties and other activities of Second Life and says,”I like come here and to have
something that engages my mind and makes me forget the stress of real life, I
tried to do all what is possible to do for me, for my skills, now it was time
for a place to relax myself, not very demanding in the management and where
people can relax too.“ The name he gives to the area is Otium, from the Latin
meaning leisure. And so it is.

There are beaches with relaxing chairs where
you can sit and gaze at the ocean. I found a boat and went for a ride
along the shore line. I walked the beach and took a snorkling tour of the glassy
waters, then rested and enjoyed the sun on my face. I encountered
others just hanging out talking. I ran across a greedy game almost hidden behind
the cliffs. Climbing the hills I found a lovely drop in place where there
was refreshing watermelon on the counter and sat down for a while to
enjoy. Another person, Drem, came in to play the pinball machine there.

Just looking out on the sim is relaxing and I really enjoyed my time recovering
from the business of the past weeks. I ran into an old friend, Purplebutterfly
Lykin who is a fellow blogger and there doing a travel series. I recommend
getting over there and making a landmark so when you are feeling the necessity
for a few minutes alone , or with a friend to relax and enjoy , this is a good
place to go.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Joshua has been hanging around at Chez Sha, wishing to learn more of
Second Life. Sha pulls up the Destination Guide, on her computer, and
looks in the "Cosmic" section. An interesting one grabs her attention, with the introduction, "Unleash
your own power! Play and explore in virtual world version of Star
Journey Symbol Method. Interactive Symbols lead to valuable personal
insights and inspiration. Enjoy beautiful gardens and sky galleries in
this spiritual and empowering sim. Based on Richard Geer’s latest book: “Star Journey – A Cosmology of Self.”. She gives Joshua the address and sends him, closely followed by her telepathic robo cam, to explore.

Arriving there, the first thing he notices is there is much less lag
here, compared to most sims he'd seen. The adventure strarts in a
translucent blue room, with moving stars wall texture. There are signs
on the walls, providing helpful information about the sim and navigating
it. A welcome sign gives a warm greeting.

Dear Seeker-

I invite you, come discover Star Journey Island.

It's full of meaning, and fun to explore.

You'll learn more about yourself in the process.

May you always find what you seek.

Love and Light

Richard H. Geer

Star Journey Author

Another sign recomends using their TP HUB, for getting around the
sim, via following symbol cards, and provides it free. It is important
to use this, because it also gives information about what the symbols
stand for. You can just walk around, but, as you can see on the map,
your path will trace a flower, with half your time spent retracing your
steps. On the ground, we see why there is low lag.

The ground is very roughly shaped and textured. We learn that the
outward sights are not the adventure here. Our attention begins to have
more freedom, to decipher the symbols and related objects, as we spend
time in each of many sections, on the ground and skyboxes. The
instructions have also told us to touch everything we find, to receive
valuable clues and objects to use on your journey, like the torch, for
finding your way in the cave.

Most areas will have chairs or pillows to sit on, so you can spend time
thinking. While stationary, you can look at the surrounding objects,
with your perv cam. The black box, behind Joshua, contained six Mardi
Gras mask objects. Their unusual construction inspires a whole new genre
of SL art, which we hadn't tried before. The sim has, indeed, kept it's
promise to "Unleash your own power."

Many objects are interactive and provide accessories for you to use. In
one, called `Magic Mirror', sitting on the pose ball forces the camera
to look at the mirror, while your av gets put behind the mirror and goes
through a series of menu driven, animations. In another, you get a
musical instrument and become a snake charmer. Don't worry, he won't
bite. What you're playing might not sound musical to you, but to him it
sounds like one of his favorite, old Beatle's tunes.

Each of the symbol cards, in the HUD, will give information about
the symbol and provide a TP to the area that represents it. Here, we
explore one of the symbols, called "The Crown". It is the sign of
fulfillment through sincere leadership and wise guidance (83). The TP
takes you to an ornate Egyptian chamber, with golden thrones to sit on,
in regal manner. Afterwards, we find free crown objects, in small and
large sizes, to complete the look and feel of being in charge.

There are many symbols to explore. Each will direct you to principles and how they apply to your real and virtual lives. LM
this sim and take periodic breaks from your `same ol', same ol'. It
will recharge your inner battery and greatly assist you in getting to "know thyself."

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Anouki comes to us from ancient Egypt. It is another name for Isis,
"goddess of life." It's root is Ank, "life." With the added personal
suffix, it becomes "my life," my being. In exploring Second Life for
it's seemingly endless supply of new experiences and entertainment, for
nearly four years and writing about it for the last three and a half
months, the end of the road has ever receeded from view. I have become
adept at pushing farther and deeper into life, in both the real and
virtual world. Contemplating new places to explore and interesting
people to meet, it dawned that I had overlooked one that was literally
right under my own nose. For a large portion of the time I have lived in
Second Life, I have had my home in Sunweaver Estates. I was one of the
first few to move to Sunweaver Bay and got my choice of location. I
built my house on a hill, overlooking the bay. After trying several
houses, I have just recently completed one that takes full advantage of
the great view. It couldn't have come at a better time, because the
owner, Rita Mariner, has done a wonderful job of upgrading the scenery.
Living on the bay is a constant source of joy. With it's personallized
custom textures and decorations, the house has become an external part
of myself. Seeing inside my house is like seeing inside of me. Even so,
it can't tell the whole story. I try to live my life as an open book.
Let's go inside and see what is written there.

Approaching the entry, you quickly notice, this person is into wood
carving. More than just owning and looking at them, I love making them. I
have carved and whitled since childhood and have made many notable
works. Without a doubt, the most impressive hack jobs I ever did
happened when I worked as a professional carver. I had to carve a
scallop shell keystone for the interior moulding of a large entry door,
in a thirty million dollar mansion. The main part of the carving was
done in the shop, but the bottom, where the arch meets it, had to be
carved after the keystone was installed, because it had to turn the tips
of the arch into a fiddle scroll, like on a violin tuning head. When I
went to finish the carving, there was scaffolding in the entry hall,
which was topped by a dome. At the keystone area, thirty feet up, there
was a narrow tongue deck, leading to the carving. Taking out the needed
tools, the tool box was placed on the deck and I sat on it while carving
for the next four hours. As I worked, I kept imagining this was how it
felt to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. I knew, after this
Michelangelo moment, everything else, from there on, would just be
humdrum work, compared to this ultimate adventure.

The doors on my second life house came with carved textures, but I
wanted fancier carvings, which I found on the internet, along with other
images used for making the Chez Sha plaque and stair rail.

As we enter the house, I am reminded of a "Michelangelo moment,"
experienced in my early days in SL. To make money, to buy clothes with, I
would dance, freelance, at Escort Oasis. One night, I received a rather
large tip from across the room and I responded with the "/me thanks
_____ for his generous tip" (emote), as I searched the room to get a
look at him. He was a tall, pale av, dressed in gothic vampire outfit,
which made me a bit nervous at first. During the next half hour, we
chatted, I accepted his friend request, and he kept giving large tips.
When he said he had to go, I was somewhat relieved to get out of his
"dark shadow" and amazed and shocked at having received..... L$12,000 ,
in only 30 minutes. Needless to say, the next day I went on a shopping
spree and, within a week, had built my first mansion in SL. Shortly
after, I got my first job, as an exotic dancer, in a club called "the
Tiity Bar." I got rich, practicing my new profession, but never made as
much, as quickly, as that night in Escort Oasis. One of the dancers at
the Titty Bar had learned to make clothing textures for the prim
breasts, that we had to wear at work. She taught me how to do it and,
within two months, I rented my first clothing store. Within weeks, my
shop started showing up on lists of the best places to buy clothing for
implants. Ultimately, the owner of the most popular brand of implants
invited me to have a free space in his main store, because many of his
customers asked where my shop was located.

As we enter my new house, at Sunweaver Bay, and turn right, there is a
large picture frame on the wall. The image in the frame changes every 30
seconds, like a slide show. Before buying this frame, I had paintings
all over the house, that used a large number of my prim allowance. By
using the new frame, I was able to gain 24 prims, to use for other
furniture. The frame shows pictures of friends, wood carvings I have
done and illustrations I have created in SL.

The wall, to the left of the picture frame, has a large bookself, which covers the length of the wall.

This looks like a lot of books for one person to own, but it's only
about half as many as I have had in my real life library. Unlike some,
who like to display books to give the impression of being smart, I have
actually read all of my books and retain the information in my brain. If
I say that I read something, on a given topic, I might not remember
which of my hundreds of books it came from, but I will remember all the
details.

Close to the bookshelves, I have a computer desk. This is symbolic of my
SL position as a newspaper reporter, but also fits my real life as
well. I began using computers in 1967, long before the invention of the
PC. The first PC I used was one by Heathkit, which we built in the
basement. I made the case for the keyboard from hand carved black
walnut. Before I learned of SL, I had taught myself how to make 3D
illustrations and videos, using various software packages. On seeing
some of my creations, a friend told me I should join SL, a game that she
enjoyed playing on line. I told her that video games didn't interest
me, but she said it was not like those kinds of games. She brought over
her laptop and walked me through the steps of getting an account and
getting in world. We met, in world and she taught me things that take
most noobs weeks or months to learn. She also turned out to be a vampire
in SL and I got bitten in my first few moments in world. It took a
year, before I finally got the wormwood treatment, to remove all traces
of the bite, which bloodlines users can see. Since then, vampires have
always been a turn off.

On the other side of the first floor, we find my music/livingroom, where
the piano and harp can be played. This area has a large bay window,
providing an awesome view of Rita's artistic landscaping. In all the
homes I have seen in SL, I have yet to find any with a view to match
mine. Thank you Rita. She improved the scenery, in hopes of renting out more lots on the sim. I
hope, by writing about how much I like living here, that others will
come see for themselves and decide to build their homes here.

Both the harp and piano contain animations and sounds. If you come to my
house, by all means, try them out. I have been a musician all my life
and have written dozens of songs. Having instruments in my SL home
illustrates their importance in my real life and the joy they bring.

Across from the piano and harp, and sharing the same view, I have a
couch and chair, each only one prim, from Primpossible. This provides a
great place to chat with good friends. I have often written about the
importance of chat, for developing Oneness and community. In real life, I
am the founder of several on-line groups, including a classroom of
ancient wisdom, called "The Keys of Knowledge." Behind me is the Stairs, with handrail made with a photo texture of
carved palm tree. We will also find palm trees outside in my garden.
These symbolize the fact that I now live in Southern California.

Between my group friends and SL friends, I have nearly 1000 on-line
friends, many of whom speak other languages. Good communication is very
important, to me, so, as an aid I keep a pile of language dictionaries
by my keyboard. My SL neighbor, the fire chief, lives in Northern Italy
and is also a fireman there. I bought the Italian dictionary when he
moved to Sunweaver Bay.

Upstairs is a slightly more private area, furnished with a snuggle love
seat and my custom made round bed, in which I have added a TNT sex
engine. I tell everybody that it is the best in SL. After testing it
out, or looking through it's menu, nobody has ever challenged my claim.

On the walls, I have photos of my three real-life daughters and one of my grand
daughters and well as a portrait of me and a painting, both done by my
dear friend, Shanti Bright.

On the balcony, there are two
bean bag chairs, which are good for chats and meditation with friends.
The balcony has the same wonderful view as the music room and also
wraps around to the side of the house that faces the fire station to
which I donated a fire truck.

Outside, I have a garden, with palm trees and flowers and a meditation
area that seats four. Although I contemplate, as opposed to meditate, in
RL, doing so in SL shows the importance I place on developing soul
contact, as a means of bringing heaven and earth together.

I hope you have enjoyed the tour of my home and getting to know me
better. If you come to Sunweaver Bay, whether I'm home or not, the door
is always open. Feel free to enter and enjoy what it has to offer. If
you meet me, offer friendship and I will accept you into my family.